In the Beginning
In the Beginning is the second of six Babylon 5 TV Movies. It is set during the Earth-Minbari War, prior to the events of the Babylon 5 TV Series. Production Information * Production Number: TNT MoW 2 * Written By: J. Michael Straczynski * Directed By: Mike Vejar * Executive Producers: Douglas Netter & J. Michael Straczynski * Producer: John Copeland * Director of Photography: John C. Flinn, III A.S.C. * Production Designer: John Iacovelli * Edited By: Skip Robinson * Music By: Christopher Franke Cast * Bruce Boxleitner as John Sheridan * Mira Furlan as Delenn * Richard Biggs as Dr. Stephen Franklin * Andreas Katsulas as G'Kar * Peter Jurasik as Londo Mollari Guest Starring * Theodore Bikel as Lenonn * Reiner Schone as Dukhat Special Guest Star * Michael O'Hare as Jeffrey Sinclair Co-Starring * Robin Atkin Downes as Morann * J. Patrick McCormack as '''General Robert Leftcourt * Tricia O'Neil as President Elizabeth Levy * Robin Sachs as Coplann * James Patrick Stuart as Presidential Aide Featuring * Jason Azikiwe as Captain Roger Sterns * Yasemin Baytok as Centauri Woman * Kristin Birch as Woman #1 * Justin Carroll as Comm Officer * Ardwight Chamberlain as Kosh * Jacob Chase as Luc * Tim Colceri as Michael Jankowski * Lane Davies as Callier * Timothy Davis-Reed as Man #1 * Pancho Demmings as Alpha 7 * Steven Ford as First Officer * Mio R. Jakula as Ganya Ivanov * Nick Jameson as Minbari Pilot * Mike Kennedy as General Fontaine * Erica Mer as Lyssa Deradi * Mark Rafael Truitt as Minbari Warrior Summary The story of the Earth-Minbari War is told from the memories of G'Kar, Delenn and Londo Mollari. DVD Release This TV Movie was released with five others and some limited special features on Region 2 DVD. For more information see: *Babylon 5 - The Movies DVD This TV Movie was released with four others and some limited special features on Region 1 DVD. For more information see: * Babylon 5 The Movies Collection DVD This TV Movie was released on a single DVD with no Special Features on Region 2 DVD. For More Information see: *Babylon 5 TV Movies: Individual DVD Releases *Babylon 5: The Complete Universe DVD Novelization The Novelization of Babylon 5: In the Beginning ISBN 0345424522 was published in 1998 and written by Peter David. It included several scenes not seen in the final film such as a brief encounter between Sinclair and Sheridan at a transit station, Jankowski's short lived gloating towards Sheridan and Sterns over his "victory" over the Minbari, his trial, court-martial and ultimate fate. Revealed some of the background and motivations to some of the characters along with the source of much of Londo's knowledge surrounding these events. It also revealed the names of character that appeared in the film, but were not named in dialogue or the credits; such as the "Centauri Woman" (Senna) and the "Presidential Aide" (Hastur). Continuity Errors *The film contradicts the TV series in some notable ways: :*Sheridan also claims in Points of Departure that a number of Minbari heavy cruisers were also destroyed. This is not shown in the film nor mentioned in the briefing after. :*The briefing to a packed assembly room full of Earth Force personnel shows footage of the Black Stars destruction and General Leftcourt (in charge of the briefing)tells them that they plan on broadcasting the footage on every network and news service. It is strange then after all this publicity that in Points of Departure Ivanova is ignorant of how the Black Star was destroyed. ::* NOTE: This can be accounted for if the distress call element to the battle was played down by the press. Naturally the focus would have been on the actual destruction of the Blackstar. Furthermore it didn't sound as if Ivanova was actively trying to uncover any secret, just that in passing she'd never heard how it was done. :*Ivanova is several years older in the film than she was stated to be in the series. External links * [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120711/ In the Beginning at the Internet Movie Database] * Category: TV movies